This coming July, we will mark the 50th anniversary of Pope Paul VI’s deeply controversial encyclical letter Humanae vitae. I won’t bore you with the details of the innumerable battles, disagreements, and ecclesial crises that followed upon this text. Suffice it to say that this short, pithily argued letter became a watershed in the post-conciliar Catholic Church and one of the most significant points of contention between liberals and conservatives. Its fundamental contention is that the moral integrity of the sexual act is a function of the coming together of its “procreative and unitive” dimensions. That is to say, sexual intercourse is ethically upright only in the measure that it is expressive of love between married partners and remains open to the conception of a child. When, through a conscious choice, the partners introduce an artificial block to procreation—when, in a word, they separate the unitive and procreative finalities of the sexual act—they do something which is contrary to God’s will.

Again, within the context of this brief article I won’t detail the arguments for and against this position. But I would like to draw particular attention to a remarkable passage in Humanae vitae, namely section 17, in which Paul VI plays the prophet and lays out, clearly and succinctly, what he foresees as consequences of turning away from the Church’s classic teaching on sex. Though he is convinced that artificial contraception is morally bad in itself, he’s also persuaded that it would, in the long run, adversely affect general societal attitudes regarding sex. Here is a first observation: “Let them consider how easily this course of action could open wide the way for marital infidelity and a general lowering of moral standards. Not much experience is needed to be fully aware of human weakness and to understand that human beings—and especially the young, who are so exposed to temptation—need incentives to keep the moral law, and it is an evil thing to make it easy for them to break that law.” Does anyone doubt that, in the last fifty years, we have seen a profound attenuation of marital fidelity? Could anyone possibly contest that the last half century has witnessed a significant breakdown of the institution of marriage? Is anyone so blind as not to see that during the last five decades “a lowering of moral standards” has taken place? To be sure, there are multiple causes of these declines, and certainly not all the blame can be ascribed to artificial contraception. However, Paul VI was intuiting something of great moment, namely, that once we commenced to redefine the nature of the sexual act, we placed ourselves on a very steep and slippery slope toward a complete voluntarism, whereby we utterly determine the meaning of sexuality, of marriage, and even of gender. And the rapid rise in pornography use, the sexual exploitation of children, and human trafficking are functions of this same arbitrariness. What was only vaguely envisioned and feared fifty years ago is now accepted more or less as a matter of course.

In that same section, Paul VI continues to prophesy: “Another effect that gives cause for alarm is that a man who grows accustomed to the use of contraceptive methods may forget the reverence due to a woman, and, disregarding her physical and emotional equilibrium, reduce her to being a mere instrument for the satisfaction of his own desires, no longer considering her as his partner whom he should surround with care and affection.” In the post-Weinstein era, we hear practically every day of another celebrity who has treated women with disrespect, turning them indeed into objects for his own use and manipulation. The entire society is rightly outraged at this behavior, but precious few cultural commentators have noted the link between this kind of objectification and the conscious disassociation of the twin ends of the sexual act. When we are permitted casually to separate love from procreation—or as one analyst had it, to sever the link between sex and diapers—we place ourselves on a short road to reducing sexual intercourse to a form of self-indulgent recreation.

Section 17 of Humanae vitae concludes with a startling act of prescience regarding the political implications of countenancing artificial contraception: “Finally, careful consideration should be given to the danger of this power passing into the hands of those public authorities who care little for the precepts of the moral law. Who will blame a government which in its attempt to resolve the problems affecting an entire country resorts to the same measures as are regarded as lawful by married people in the solution of a particular family difficulty? Who will prevent public authorities from favoring those contraceptive methods which they consider more effective? Should they regard this as necessary, they may even impose their use on everyone.” What might have seemed exaggerated, perhaps even slightly paranoid, in 1968 is now a commonplace. The HHS Mandate, which would require even Catholic institutions to provide insurance coverage for contraception and abortifacients, has been so aggressively pursued that even the Little Sisters of the Poor found themselves battling for their rights in court. Pope Francis, an ardent admirer of Paul VI, has picked up on this theme, bemoaning the “ideological colonization” that takes place when the Western powers attempt, through threat of economic sanctions, to impose their sexual program on the underdeveloped world.

This coming 50th anniversary year would be a good time to take another look at Humanae vitae. I might suggest we commence with section 17.

Pope Paul VI was a Prophet and a saint—-for God was obviously speaking through him as He has been warning His children through His Prophets from antiquity.

We need to understand that God made everything in His creation to work in tandem with everything else———each thing fulfilling its intended purpose along with all the other parts to make everything work properly. We can liken creation and God’s Truth to the human body. Each organ of the body must fulfill its intended purpose. If they fails to do so—-it affects the whole—-the entire body becomes ill. God gave us His Commandments and laws to follow for our own good. When we refuse to follow them—-we do great harm to ourselves and others.

God’s entire creation is beautiful Truth. When that truth is twisted or made into a lie—-it makes various parts of God’s creation false—-corrupting truth and the corruption spreads to the other parts—-making them false—-affecting the whole—-society, environment, government, our subconscious and our conscious minds. If the corruption isn’t corrected—-the breakdown continues spreading until the whole is corrupt——false.

This is what happened in approx. 50 years. If women have the “right” to contraception and to abort every pregnancy, children aren’t necessary in the first place. And if children aren’t necessary, the female gender isn’t necessary. If the female gender and children aren’t necessary—-then a man and woman union—-heterosexuality—-isn’t necessary. If heterosexuality isn’t necessary—-that leaves just homosexuality. After thousands of years of rejection—-do you wonder why it was so easy for society to accept it—-”making God’s creation into a lie?”

If a man and a woman union aren’t necessary then traditional marriage isn’t necessary—- so legalize same-sex marriage. And if the male and female gender and their “ intended purpose” are irrelevant—-then let everyone decide their own gender. Only those with a good religious faith are rejecting the insidious deviance.

Reading Humanae Vitae won’t hurt—-but we desperately need to overturn Roe v.Wade to turn this corruption around. It’s why I still believe God wanted Donald Trump to be President—- “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” Throughout history God has taken sinners and made absolute miracles and saints out of them.

This material has been written in my name. Ruth Ruhl-LaMusga

Posted by M.J. Maxwell on Saturday, Dec, 2, 2017 9:18 PM (EST):

The rudiments of human life begin, as God intended, in the womb of woman. The uniqueness of the life forming therein is a sacred creation willed into being by God as a gift from His eternal Love for the benefit of humankind. Just as each life is one of a kind for all time, the hope and promise of each life is contingent upon the unique, Perfect Plan of Almighty God for each of His precious human creations. Interrupting or aborting life within and without the womb is an inherently evil act of destroying God’s Creation, thus usurping His Divine Will. Such acts of pride and selfishness in preventing and eliminating innocent human life are thus deserving of Divine Justice from the source and summit of all Love and Mercy, our heavenly Father. Like any good and righteous Father, His patience, understanding, and Love is not without limit. The pain and suffering inflicted upon God’s innocent little humans cannot prevail. God our Father, throughout salvation history, has disciplined His people when all else fails…

Posted by Jack on Friday, Dec, 1, 2017 9:46 PM (EST):

He was a prophet, did he not say after the signing of the Vatican II documents and seeing the emptying out of the seminaries and convents and priests leaving in droves “The Smoke of Satan has entered the sactuary”?

Truly prophetic…

Posted by John Hickey on Friday, Dec, 1, 2017 6:27 PM (EST):

Yes. Seeing contraception alone as the cause of our problems is like seeing the grenade as the sole cause of casualties in a war. The fact is, in a war, there are many weapons of destruction, not the least of which is the very intention to destroy.

Posted by glassjar on Friday, Dec, 1, 2017 10:53 AM (EST):

We are certainly in sorry shape as a society today, but contraception is not the cause—it is a symptom of much deeper problems. There are cultures in which contraception is highly frowned upon (various African societies), and they are not exactly places where infidelity rates are low, women are well-respected, prostitution/sex trafficking are rare, and domestic violence rates are low. A bishop in Uganda just last year said that every single household in his diocese is affected by domestic violence. Every. Single. One. And these are the Catholics! At the same time, in polls, a solid majority of Ugandan Catholics oppose the use of contraception. (not sure I can post links here—Google the Univision poll that was conducted a few years ago if you want to see details)

You could destroy all the pill and condom factories tomorrow, and we are not going to suddenly turn into a society in which the human condition is vastly improved. The problems we experience today go much further and deeper than contraception.

Posted by M.J. Maxwell on Thursday, Nov, 30, 2017 5:33 PM (EST):

Many women see contraceptives and abortion as the great emancipators of their minds and bodies from the consequences of sexual union both within and without the bond of marriage, which they believe is essential to advancing their thirst for power and influence. In falling for this fallacious, immoral, self-destructive faux-feminist con, they are falling prey to the same prideful temptation that persuaded Eve to consume the forbidden fruit in Genesis. Contraception and abortion are modern day “forbidden fruits” corrupting God’s Perfect Plan for marital love, fidelity, and procreation. Read Genesis Chapter 3 to obtain an understanding of the consequences of defying God’s Commandments and His laws of nature…

Posted by Anne Marie on Thursday, Nov, 30, 2017 2:49 PM (EST):

Bishop Barron: It is very distressing that Pope Francis has called a commission to “further study” Humanae Vitae….is the intent to overlay this stellar, unchangeable, holy teaching with the confusion and chaos of Amoris Latitiae and allow “personal moral discernment” to overstep clear moral teaching and create further confusion and chaos? Divorced Catholics who ignore Church teaching on adultery and abandon their spouse (and by definition their children—kids need full time parents, 24/7, not “every other weekend” ones) don’t give a moral hoot about artificial contraception….so what’s to revisit? It seems to me we’ve “been there, done that” with sin of contraception i.e. “pastoral discernment” in the confessional for the last 50 years regarding contraception was the green light that unleashed the moral sewage we see today.

Posted by JeffB on Thursday, Nov, 30, 2017 11:38 AM (EST):

Come Holy Spirit. Pierce the hearts of your priests with The Sword of Truth. Instill in them the courage and strength, the wisdom and fortitude to always proclaim the Fullness of Truth. Amen. (ref Casti Connubii para 56 and 57)

Posted by DANIEL TRACY on Wednesday, Nov, 29, 2017 10:06 PM (EST):

I came across a pamphlet from the 1920s advocating birth control, and it argued:
1) Access to birth control would strengthen marriages
2) result in more respect towards women
3) and greatly diminish the need for prostitution.

Pope Paul VI was correct compared to these advocates.

Posted by john on Wednesday, Nov, 29, 2017 2:56 PM (EST):

A little context is in order.here. Sexual servitude and sexual trafficking aren’t something that suddenly evolved after birth control became commonly accepted. Likewise with sexual harassment of (mostly) women or sexual abuse of children by clergy or anyone else. What has changed is the ability for victims to come forward, be taken seriously and actually have a chance at staving off, and/or preventing abuse of others by, their sexual predators. Infidelity isn’t new either. But what used to be kept hidden (or what mostly women had to accept and shut up about) is now more often brought to a head with the advent of liberalized divorce laws that don’t require women (and many men as well) to humiliate themselves by staying in abusive marriages of whatever kind. Some will cite the seemingly high percentage of out-of-wedlock births (apparently over 40% now) but this, too, merely reflects the fact that people no longer feel compelled to accede to a sham marriage just because of a pending birth. I remember at the American History Museum and exhibit on early settlers documented that one third of all first born children were born within seven months of their parents’ marriage. Given the high incidence of miscarriages and still births and little chance of survival for premature births, that number is probably very low. Behavior hasn’t change much, society’s reaction has. Any correlation with birth control seems remote, at best, and unsupported by the realities of the pre-birth control era.

Posted by P. Garbe on Wednesday, Nov, 29, 2017 2:16 PM (EST):

We need to hear more like this from every pulpit. The liberal clergy did their best to destroy the sacredness and sanctity of marriage by buying into the contraception bandwagon. Unfortunately, Natural Family Planning is one of the greatest gifts to marriage, but the clergy is absent in promoting it. I hope to see more of this kind of writing as we approach the 50 anniversary of HV.

Posted by john spizziri on Wednesday, Nov, 29, 2017 12:47 PM (EST):

Excellent teaching, Shephard of Souls!

Posted by Deacon Tom on Wednesday, Nov, 29, 2017 12:13 PM (EST):

I agree with you about how well Pope Paul VI predicted the future consequences of a national and even worldwide contraceptive mentality. However, how often, how loud, and how seriously did the Church teach in accessible books and articles, preach in regular homilies, and counsel in spiritual/pastoral counseling and in the Confessional: (1) “consider how easily this course of action could open wide the way for marital infidelity and a general lowering of moral standards”; (2) “once we commenced to redefine the nature of the sexual act, we placed ourselves on a very steep and slippery slope toward a complete voluntarism, whereby we utterly determine the meaning of sexuality, of marriage, and even of gender”; (3) “a man who grows accustomed to the use of contraceptive methods may forget the reverence due to a woman, and, disregarding her physical and emotional equilibrium, reduce her to being a mere instrument for the satisfaction of his own desires, no longer considering her as his partner whom he should surround with care and affection”; and, (4) “When we are permitted casually to separate love from procreation we place ourselves on a short road to reducing sexual intercourse to a form of self-indulgent recreation”? These issues of life, dignity, respect, kindness, and authentic love are supposed to be the foundation of the life of a Christian and in particular, the foundational teachings of the Catholic Church. Should this not have been the primary message all along? Should it not have been shouted unceasingly from the rooftops by Church leaders, ad nauseam? Canon 1752 reminds us that, “the salvation of souls, which must always be the supreme law in the Church, is to be kept before one’s eyes.” How many souls has the Church lost due to an apathetic application on her part of Humanae vitae?

Posted by SPArch on Wednesday, Nov, 29, 2017 12:09 PM (EST):

I think that Humanae Vitae shows the relevance of the church and it’s teachings over the long haul. This is the church we cling to for it is where truth and wisdom reside.

In a world such as ours, one saying comes to mind that keeps me grounded.
“Trend is not Destiny”.

Thank you, your Excellency,
I believe Humane Vitae and Evangelium Vitae are two of the finest writings of all time! And at the core of both documents, we find the Vicar of Christ, calling to us, to live in His love, as He loves us.

Posted by Kate on Wednesday, Nov, 29, 2017 9:24 AM (EST):

Outstanding post! Thank you, Bishop Barron. I would love to see the Bishop develop a series for use by parishes covering aspects of sexual morality - homosexual acts, contraception, fornication, pornography, etc. It is on this battle field that the Church has failed to speak out as it should and to give Catholics both Scriptural and magisterial knowledge to stand on Catholic principles. Chastity is evaporating. I’ve heard it said by experts that 9 to 10 years of age has become normative in children’s addiction to pornography. Cell phones are shared among kids to routinely view pornography. No matter what other virtues a person may possess, he cannot draw close to God or please him if he lives in a state contrary to chastity. It destroys holiness. Please, Bishop Barron, give our parishes a tool. Most priests shy away from addressing these moral issues and souls are being lost at an alarming rate.

Posted by Virgil Rix on Wednesday, Nov, 29, 2017 5:10 AM (EST):

Wait, what?

Isn’t contraception prohibited? Isn’t its use intrinsically evil? Why bother presenting two sides of the argument? Isn’t this “pithy” letter binding, for the sake of our souls?

Bishop Barron, please present the Church’s teaching and demonstrate our Lord’s intention for the conjugal act. Your message comes across as very lukewarm. There is no playing both sides of the issue here, either this evil is permissive or it’s prohibited - not just “morally bad.”

Oh wait, I get it. Is this another modern example of prudential judgment that requires our conscience and accompaniment? We can proclaim the Truth with love, and we know some will reject it. However, the faithful will have learned that contraception isn’t a matter of personal opinion and the matter will be a weight on their souls, instead of the willful ignorance permitted today.

Pope Paul XI’s message is prophetic. We see the result of ignoring and resisting it by the Church being played out in society. This is the catalyst for the culture of death! Divorce, smaller families, broken families, abortion, out of wedlock pregnancies, sexual and gender confusion - it all starts here. This is where the battle lines are drawn, with contraception! When was the last time we heard a Bishop or priest preach against contraception? Though, we do get the occasional “tsk tsk” on abortion once every year or so.

Forgive the seemingly lack of charity in my tone, but it is past time that Church leaders start proclaiming these truths instead of worrying about offending others at the cost of their souls and healthy family lives.

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Bishop Robert Barron is an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries and the host of CATHOLICISM, a groundbreaking, award winning documentary about the Catholic Faith. He received a Master’s Degree in Philosophy from the Catholic University of America (1982) and a doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Institut Catholique de Paris (1992).

He has published numerous books, essays, and articles on theology and the spiritual life. He has also appeared on several media outlets including NBC, PBS, FOX News, CNN, and EWTN. His website, WordOnFire.org, has reached over 3.8 million people and his weekly YouTube videos have been viewed over nine million times. His pioneering work in evangelizing through the new media led the late Cardinal Francis George to describe him as “one of the Church’s best messengers.”

He was consecrated an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles on Sept. 8, 2015.